
Author . 



Title 



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An Historical Sketch 



OF THE 



Iowa State College of Agriculture 
AND Mechanic Arts 




PUBLISHED FOR 

THE SEMLCENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 

JUNE 6-9, 1920 

AMES, IOWA 



An Historical Sketch 



OF THE 



Iowa State College of Agriculture 

AND Mechanic Arts 



Published for 

The Semi-Centennial Celebration 

June 6-9, 1920 

Ames, Iowa 



'•■ CON, 



<^Ress 



'*Pft20l92, 






— •—-.._, ^lOj^i 






ORIGIN AND ESTABLISHMENT 

INTEREST in scientific agricultural education in Iowa dates back 
to the beginning of the history of the commonwealth, pre-dating 
the actual founding of the College by about twenty years. As 
early as 1848, the general assembly of Iowa memorialized Congress 
for the donation of the site and buildings of Fort Atkinson in Winne- 
shiek County, together with two sections of land, for the establishment 
of an agricultural college. Altho Congress did not assent to this 
proposal, interest in the movement to secure public aid for the educa- 
tion of the farming class continued to grow. To provide a means of 
registering the wishes and demands of those who were especially in- 
terested in this movement, there was formally organized at Fairfield, 
Iowa, on December 28, 1853, the State Agricultural Society of Iowa. 

This society at once became the spokesman of people interested in 
such a college in the state legislature. To the Fifth General Assem- 
bly, which convened in December, 1854, it presented a memorial in 
the form of a bill asking financial support for the State Agricultural 
Society. Governor James W. Grimes in his inaugural address of 
December 9, 1854, g3.vc expression to the growing sentiment in favor 
of a state school of applied science. While the provisions for such a 
school were taking shape it was proposed that an agricultural bureau 
be established at the capitol. That, however, was to come later. 
The memorial was honored, the bill was passed and thus the efforts of 
the State Agricultural Society to provide for the farming interests a 
means of advancement in scientific agricultural education became a 
matter of record. 

That there was an active interest on the part of the people in the 
cause was very evident. Many petitions and memorials were pre- 
sented to the legislature urging the establishment of a school where 
information regarding farming pursuits could be obtained. They 
came not only from representative members of the various districts 
but also from individuals all over the state. It was urged that ade- 
quate provision be made for supplying funds to further the kind of 
education required by the farming and industrial classes. 

In response to this demand the general assembly of Iowa passed a 
bill, which was signed by Governor Lowe, March 22, 1858, provid- 
ing for the establishment of a State Agricultural College and Farm, 
"which shall be connected with the entire agricultural interests of the 
state." It carried an appropriation of $10,000 and provided for a 
Board of Trustees to consist of 11 members, one for each judicial 
district. The board was instructed to purchase a farm, erect the 
necessary buildings and keep an accurate system of accounting for all 



THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 



the operations of the College. It was further authorized to establish 
professorships, make all needful rules, elect officers and put the Col- 
lege into operation as soon as possible. 

The organic act further provided that instruction should be given 
in the following subjects: natural philosophy, chemistry, botany, 
horticulture, fruit growing, forestry, animal and vegetable anatomy, 
geology, mineralogy, meteorology, entomology, zoology, veterinary 
anatomy, plain mensuration, levelling, surveying, bookkeeping "and 
such mechanic arts as are directly connected with agriculture. Also 
such other studies as the trustees may from time to time prescribe not 
inconsistent with the purposes of this act." 

From the very beginning of the movement one of the underlying 
ideas was that the school be so organized as to dignify manual labor 
and to give it the respectability and credit which is commonly accorded 
to the labor of the professional classes. This idea was embodied in 
the original act in a clause which provided that all students must work 
at least two hours in the winter and three in the summer, and that no 
student, unless physically incompetent, should be exempt from such 
work. 

It was not until 1884, sixteen years after the founding of the Col- 
lege, that this regulation was fully abrogated. The sentiment for 
linking the work of the College with that of the farm and the shop 
was very strong. For years a careful distinction was made between 
instructive and uninstructive labor, the former including laboratory 
work and the latter manual labor on College construction and the 
College farm. A number of buildings, including three homes of pro- 
fessors — provided at that time by the state — were erected largely 
with student labor. Gradually the restrictions were broken down, 
however, and the hours of uninstructive labor shortened until the in- 
structive labor of the laboratory was recognized as the sole claim that 
the College could make on the student. 

As a record of the growing enthusiasm for scientific education in 
agriculture, the proposed Bureau of Agriculture was established at 
this time, with an office at the capitol of the state, and with the secre- 
tary of the Board of Trustees of the College as chief. He was al- 
lowed a salary of $1,000 and the sum of $1,000 for operating ex- 
penses. 

Viewed in the light of later events, these beginnings arc significant. 
They expressed the conviction of the people of Iowa that scientific 
agricultural education was no longer to be denied the citizens of the 
commonwealth. They furthermore enabled the state to take immedi- 
ate advantage of the Land Grant College Act which was passed by 
Congress in 1862. 

In response to a notice for the purchase of lands for the Agricul- 
tural College, which was issued by the Board of Trustees at its first 
meeting, convened in Des Moines, December 10, 1859, proposals were 
received from Hardin, Polk, Story, Marshall, Jefferson and Tama 
counties. Story County voted $10,000 of county bonds and sub- 



ORIGIN AND ESTABLISHMENT 



scribed $4,320 in individual notes. Boone and Story counties to- 
gether gave 861 acres of land valued at $6,015 and their subscrip- 
tions, together with the appropriation of $I0,000 by the state, amount- 
ed to $31,355. The five sections of land in Jasper County, compris- 
ing 3,200 acres and granted to the state by the federal government 
for the erection of capitol buildings, were diverted, with the consent 
of Congress, to the use and benefit of the College. The farm selected 
contained 648 acres and was purchased at a cost of $5,374. 

After a study of the architectural features of the best recognized 
colleges of the kind, the building committee decided upon a four-story 
building 52 by 120 feet. The estimated cost was $30,000, not in- 
cluding any system for lighting or heating. Owing to the serious 
financial condition of the state, however, no appropriation was ex- 
pected. But there were sufficient funds on hand to enable the farm 
to be worked. 

The friends of the College now had an opportunity to show their 
faith and zeal in the new enterprise, for a critical moment had been 
reached. "The state was heavily in debt, the whole country was suf- 
fering from great financial embarrassment and the policy of the legis- 
lature was to economize in all directions and cut off every project 
likely to draw heavily upon its resources." On February 7, i860, a 
movement was launched in the legislature to repeal the organic act of 
March 22, 1858. Only the skillful leadership of the friends of the 
College prevented the passage of the bill. When it was brought to 
the floor, friends of the College asked time to consider the proposal 
and moved that the bill be laid on the table. Falling back upon a 
parliamentary ruse they raised the point, when an effort was made 
to secure action on the bill, that it took a two-thirds vote to consider 
a measure which had been tabled. The point was sustained and the 
crisis passed for they never got ready to give the bill any further con- 
sideration. 

Satisfied with being able to retain the establishing act on the 
statutes, the friends of the College made no effort to secure an appro- 
priation in i860. Before the session of the legislature for 1862 was 
convened the Civil War was begun and all thought of an appropria- 
tion was postponed. In fact there was almost nothing which could be 
done until a more auspicious time should arrive. That time, how- 
ever, came very soon. 

The passage of the Federal Land Grant College Act, July 2, 1862, 
presented a bright prospect for agriculture in Iowa. According to its 
provisions the state would receive 30,000 acres of land for each sen- 
ator and representative in Congress, thus making Iowa a total land 
grant of 240,000 acres. Any state, according to the grant, must erect 
the necessary buildings, without using for that purpose any of the 
proceeds of the sale of the lands, within five years from the time of 
the acceptance of the act. The legislature accepted the grant, Sep- 
tember II, 1862, and appropriated $i,ooo to carry out the provisions 
in reference to locating the lands. Railroad lands and other lands 



THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 



were selected to the amount of 199,768 acres, which were valued at 
$300,389. By subsequent adjustments with the federal government 
the acreage of the grant was increased to 294,300. 

The problem now was to secure funds for the erection of a college 
building, for it was evident that with careful management there 
would very soon be a fund created large enough to provide for the 
maintenance of the institution. The plans and estimates previously 
submitted were reviewed, with the conclusion that "the estimated cost 
of such a building, fully completed and ready for occupation, is 
$50,000." 

At this moment friends of the state university made a determined 
effort to attach the Agricultural College to that institution. In the 
report of the university, issued Januai-y 4, 1864, it was formally rec- 
ommended that the two institutions be united. The desire was fur- 
ther urged in a memorial presented February 3, 1864, by a member 
of the Board of Trustees of the university. The idea was supported 
by Ex-Grovernor Kirkwood and others. The friends of the Agricul- 
tural College resisted this attempt to divert the grant from its original 
purpose. Their objections were presented in the report of the joint 
visiting committee and concluded as follows: 

"We are satisfied that any such attempt at consolidation would re- 
sult in endless strife, quarrels, jealousy and confusion, and would go 
far towards destroying the usefulness of both. We believe it to be 
the duty of the legislature to encourage and sustain both of these valu- 
able institutions by judicious and liberal assistance, while both are left 
to stand or fall on their own merits." 

The friends of the College having succeeded in maintaining it as a 
separate institution now sought to secure an appropriation for the 
erection of a college building. The legislature voted $20,000 for that 
purpose, March 21, 1864, and it instructed the trustees that the 
buflding, which was to be completed at a maximum cost of $50,000, 
was to be "enclosed with a roof, windows and doors by October i, 
1865." A system of leasing which had been worked out with remark- 
able results enabled the College to realize an annual income of $30,- 
000 for maintenance and support from the very beginning. And so 
the farm was operated successfully and continuously. 

Such was the situation of the Iowa State College when the legis- 
lature convened in January, 1866. Governor William M. Stone in 
his message urged the importance of complying with the condition of 
the federal act as regards the time of completing the building. Ac- 
cordingly an appropriation of $91,000 was made in a legislative act 
approved April 2. This enabled the trustees to proceed with the for- 
mal organization of the College. Their committee on correspondence 
and investigation reported the following plan : first, there should be a 
president, four full professors and two assistants; second, the subjects 
provided in the law should be offered; third, a system of instructive 
farm labor, with reasonable compensation, from which no one was 
exempt, should be introduced; fourth, a boarding department under 







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THE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE 



supervision and systematically conducted should be provided; fifth, 
the admission of students should be on the basis of one or more for 
each representative in the lower house of the general assembly and 
selections were to be made after examination as to education and 
moral character; sixth, politics and sectarianism should be excluded 
and should never be permitted to control the selection of students or 
faculty; seventh, care should be exercised in the purchase of equip- 
ment and furniture ; and eighth, three or four non-resident professors, 
men of eminence in particular sciences, should be secured to deliver 
lectures to the students during the school 3'ear. The development of 
this plan of organization required both time and experience; the op- 
timism of those having the problem in hand did much to enable the 
plan to work out successfully. 

In response to the needs of the College the legislature in 1868 made 
appropriations amounting to $47,750. Of this amount, $37,750 was 
appropriated for various up-keep purposes and for three houses for 
professors and $I0,000 for completing the college building. 

The necessary preparations and arrangements having been complet- 
ed, the Iowa Agricultural College and Farm was formally opened for 
the admission of students on March 17, 1869. On this date the col- 
lege building was dedicated, Hon. A. S. Welch was inaugurated as 
the first president and regular collegiate instruction, was begun. 

This event marks the formal establishment of the College, altho 
instruction had already been going on for almost a year to a small 
group who were taking sub-freshman work. As defined by the Land 
Grant Act of 1862 the leading object of the new college "shall be, 
without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including 
military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to 
agriculture and mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislature of the 
states may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and 
practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and 
professions of life." 



II 

THE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE 

I. The College of Agriculture 

When the Iowa Agricultural College was formally opened in 1869, 
but two courses of instruction were offered ; one in agriculture and 
the other in the mechanic arts, or engineering. Women were per- 
mitted to enter either of these courses and ^take any of the subjects 
they chose, including a limited number of cultural subjects for which 
the founders of the College had duly provided. The agricultural 
faculty consisted of Dr. Norton S. Townsend, who was Professor of 
Agriculture and Horticulture, and President Welch, who lectured on 
landscape gardening. It does not appear whether President Welch 



10 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

lectured on farm animals during the first year, but it is recorded that 
he did so during some of the later years. 

In the following year, the agricultural faculty consisted of James 
Mathews, Professor of Pomology, and Charles E. Bessey, Instructor 
in Botany and Horticulture (vegetable gardening) ; while the duties 
of the vacant professorship in agriculture were delegated to Professor 
Mathews, President Welch and Dr. I. P. Roberts, who came to Ames 
as farm superintendent in August, 1869. The next year Dr. Roberts 
was made Professor of Practical Agriculture. At the close of 1873 ^^ 
resigned to accept a similar position at Cornell University, later be- 
coming Dean of Agriculture and Director of the Experiment Station 
at that institution. 

Dr. Roberts did much to give impetus, tone and real scientific and 
practical value to agricultural teaching in the Iowa Agricultural Col- 
lege. As a pioneer, he blazed the trail leading to higher standards. 
In his Autobiography of a Farm Boy, he pays splendid tribute to 
President Welch as a man of sterling qualities worthy to rank him 
among the great college presidents of the country. He also testifies to 
the fine work and rapid progress which the students of those early days 
accomplished in spite of their handicaps. 

By 1874 the student enrollment had reached about 300, which rep- 
resented practically a capacity enrollment under the conditions exist- 
ing at that time. Among the senior students in the last year of Dr. 
Roberts' work at Iowa Agricultural College was one young man who 
followed his studies of farm animals with interest and enthusiasm. 
Following the resignation of Dr. Roberts, this young man, Miliken 
Stalker, was appointed to fill the vacancy with the title Superintendent 
of the Farm and Assistant Professor of Agriculture. Three years 
later, in 1876, he was promoted to the chair of Agriculture and Vet- 
erinary Science. During the year 1875 G. E. Morrow was appointed 
Professor of Agriculture, but after a year's service he resigned to ac- 
cept a similar position in the Illinois Industrial University at Cham- 
paign, which position he filled with credit for 20 years. 

In 1879, Agriculture and Veterinary Science were separated into 
two distinct departments, Dr. Stalker being placed in charge of Vet- 
erinary Science to which he was now enabled to give his entire atten- 
tion, while Seaman A. Knapp was appointed Professor of Agriculture. 
For the next few years the faculty of the Department of Agriculture 
consisted of only two men: S. A. Knapp and J. L. Budd, the latter 
having come to the institution in 1877 as Professor of Horticulture 
and Forestry. These two men working together succeeded in inter- 
esting the students of the Iowa Agricultural College in practical agri- 
culture as a life pursuit. Prior to 1882 only 6 percent of the men 
then living who had graduated from the College became identified 
with either practical farming or professional agriculture while nearly 
40 percent entered law, medicine or the ministry, 17 percent en- 
gaged in teaching or similar professional work, 3 percent became vet- 
erinarians and only 9 percent engineers or mechanics. The dreams 



THE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE 11 

of the founders of the instftiitfon for a college which would send its 
graduates into the industries had not yet been realized. 

The pressure for better recognition of agriculture resulted in giving 
marked emphasis to that major line of work by conferring the degree 
of Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture on students completing this 
course. Three men received this degree in 1883, which was the first 
year it was conferred at this institution. During the next few years 
a considerable number of men graduated with the B. S. A. degree 
and in later years nearly every one of them achieved positions of honor 
and influence in professional or practical work along agricultural or 
horticultural lines. 

The awakened interest in agriculture was also manifested by the 
fact that the students organized an Agricultural Club which for three 
years published a monthly bulletin, called the Students' Farm Journal. 
But during the years 1883- 1890, there came a period of administrative 
instability during which Presidents Knapp, Budd, Hunt and Cham- 
berlain followed each other in rapid succession. In the nature of 
things there was a lack of definite administrative policy and the Col- 
lege experienced a retrogression in some of its activities. The total 
enrollment declined, the Agricultural Club expired and the Students' 
Farm Journal was discontinued. 

In 1 89 1, with the coming of William M. Beardshear as president 
and James Wilson as Professor of Agriculture and Director of the 
Experiment Station, a new era dawned for agriculture and for the 
entire institution, an era of rapid expansion and remarkable develop- 
ment, of increasing influence and power. During the Beardshear era 
the enrollment for the College passed the 1,000 mark and agriculture 
received its due proportion of emphasis. More liberal state appropria- 
tions for buildings and support were secured and various important 
buildings were erected and equipment secured. The name of the in- 
stitution was officially changed to the Iowa State College of Agricul- 
ture and Mechanic Arts, which name first appeared in the state docu- 
ments in 1898. 

The courses in the Department of Agriculture began to be sep- 
arated into special lines, which later took rank as departments of the 
Division of Agriculture. James Wilson was made Dean of the Divi- 
sion ; he was the first to hold the title of Dean in this institution. 

In February, 1897, Mr. Wilson was called to a position in Presi- 
dent McKinley's cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture and was granted 
an indefinite leave of absence. Later he was made professor emeritus, 
so that he is still officially listed as a member of the agricultural staff. 

C. F. Curtiss, a graduate from the course in agriculture in the Iowa 
Agricultural College in 1887 and a member of the department staff in 
1 89 1, was promoted to the place made vacant by the absence of James 
Wilson and later was made Dean of Agriculture and Director of the 
Experiment Station. 

Following the death of President Beardshear, the work of the Divi- 
sion of Agriculture received the strong and able support of his sue- 



12 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

cessors, President A. B. Storms, Acting President E. W. Stanton and 
President Raymond A. Pearson, It was under President Storms' ad- 
ministration that the fine Hall of Agriculture which accommodates 
many of the offices and class rooms of the division was built. Under 
the administration of President Pearson the Plant Laboratory Build- 
ing, with its modern greenhouses, and the animal husbandry labora- 
tories were constructed. The work of the division has developed till 
it now includes 12 departments, some of which have several sub-de- 
partments. The collegiate instructional staff in agriculture numbers 
62. The various buildings which house the work of the division are 
already so greatly overcrowded that more room is imperatively needed 
for the present enrollment, to say nothing of the prospective enroll- 
ment which appears inevitable in the immediate future. 

2. The Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station 

The federal act providing for agricultural experiment stations was 
passed by Congress in 1887 and the work was begun at the Iowa Agri- 
cultural College in the spring of 1888. The records of the College 
show, however, that important experimental work in agriculture was 
under way long before this date. In 1880, Professor S. A. Knapp 
carried on "systematic experimentation in stock raising and in farm 
products," and later there was made available $1,000 for an experi- 
mental creamery and an annual allowance of $1,500 for experimental 
work in agriculture and horticulture. 

The organization and management of the station was placed by law 
under the control of the Board of Trustees of the Iowa Agricultural 
College. A committee of the board elected R. B. Speer as director 
and appointed a station chemist, a station botanist and a station 
entomologist. The director was authorized to employ certain mem- 
bers of the faculty to carry on special work for the station. This 
staff took over 120 acres of the college farm for experimental pur- 
poses. An orchard was planted, experimental plots were laid out and 
plant breeding experiments were started. It is interesting to note that 
the plans for the work of the station during the first year or two pro- 
vided for extensive experiments with crops and soils and work along 
dairy and horticultural lines. For a very unique reason, compara- 
tively little work was to be done in animal husbandry, as the following 
statement by the director shows: "Nor will we promise many experi- 
ments in breeding or in feeding the domestic animals, because thou- 
sands of skillful breeders and feeders are conducting such experiments 
in all parts of the West." Some feeding tests were carried on, how- 
ever, for in the second annual report of the station mention is made of 
a feeding experiment with 12 steers. 

In 1 89 1, James Wilson was made head of the Department of Agri- 
culture and Director of the Experiment Station. During his adminis- 
tration, which continued to February, 1897, when he was appointed 
Secretary of Agriculture, the work of the station developed rapidly. 
Many bulletins were published dealing with a great variety of prob- 



THE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE 13 

lems. The present director of the station, Dr. C. F. Curtiss, was 
elected as Mr. Wilson's successor. 

The resources and staff of the station have been much increased in 
the past 20 years. The income of the station in 1899 was $17,000 
and in 1 91 9 $245,000. During the same period the staff increased 
from a total of 19 to 59. 

In 1902, an appropriation of $I0,000 was received from the state. 
This was the first of a series of state appropriations that have made 
possible the study of many problems of great interest to Iowa farmers. 
Without state money the station would now have an annual income of 
only $30,000 and it would not possess its well equipped laboratories, 
numerous buildings, dairy farm, agronomy farm, apple breeding farm 
and much of its other equipment. 

Under the Adams act of March 16, 1906, an appropriation was 
received from the United States government which within a few years 
reached an annual total of $15,000. With this fund some of the most 
important scientific research work of the station has been carried on. 
These investigations have made possible the publication of a series of 
special bulletins that is known as the Research Series. These bul- 
letins, together with the circulars, popular bulletins and soil reports, 
that are now published by the station, present a striking contrast to 
the humble beginnings in 1888, when three small bulletins were pub- 
lished. For the year ending June 30, 191 9, thirty-one publications of 
all kinds were issued, comprising 508,000 copies and many millions of 
pages. 

A noteworthy event in 1906 was the purchase by the College of 200 
acres of land located one mile south of the campus, to be used largely 
for investigational work in dairying and poultry. A building pro- 
gram has been carried out on this farm that has given the station one 
of the best plants for dairy and poultry investigations in the country. 

In 1 9 14 a 160 acre farm two miles south of the campus was made 
available for experimental work in farm crops and soils. Fifty acres 
are devoted to soil field experiments and about one hundred acres to 
various farm crops investigations. Much of the work that resulted 
in the production of the famous varieties of oats, known as Iowa 103 
and Iowa 105, and recently the annual white sweet clover, was carried 
on at this farm. Another notable addition to the land holdings of the 
station was the purchase of a 17 acre tract at Charles City, containing 
the Patten collection of seedlings. This tract is used by the pomology 
section for important fruit breeding projects. In addition $75,000 
has been appropriated for an experimental farm for work in animal 
husbandry. 

The largest appropriation that the station has received for a single 
line of investigation became available July i, 191 7. This appropria- 
tion provides an annual fund of $50,000 for a complete soil survey of 
Iowa. The purpose of the survey is to secure information which the 
farmers of the state need to enable them to make and keep their soils 
productive. On January i, 1920, the soils in 33 counties had been 



14 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

surveyed and complete reports had been published covering the work 
in 12 counties. 

The w^ar-time record of the station measured up to a high standard. 
President R. A. Pearson rendered service during the war as Assistant 
Secretary of Agriculture. Twenty members of the staff were on leave 
for service in the army and ten served on special commissions, produc- 
tion committees and similar organizations. When the call was made 
by the nation for more wheat and other cereals, for a greatly increased 
production of cattle and hogs, for larger quantities of dairy products, 
fruits and vegetables, the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station re- 
sponded by suggesting methods for handling soils, using fertilizers, 
growing crops, feeding livestock and controlling insect pests and plant 
diseases, all of which helped to make an unparalleled war-time record 
in food production. 

3. Agricultural Extension Work 

The Iowa State College early established the policy of disseminating 
information thruout the state by means of lectures and demonstrations. 
During the winter of 1 870-1 871 the College organized and conducted 
farmers' institutes at Cedar Falls, Council Bluffs, Muscatine and 
Washington. Professor I. P. Roberts, now professor emeritus and 
for 30 years Professor and Dean of Agriculture at Cornell University, 
states that "President Welch organized and conducted the first farm- 
ers' institutes in the United States." 

The work thus early begun was gradually strengthened and en- 
larged. In a report made in 1883 Mrs. Welch calls attention to a 
series of lectures on domestic science given in Des Moines to a class 
of 60. In 1887 funds were set aside by the State Agricultural Soci- 
ety to encourage institutes and a sum of $150 became available for 
expenses of faculty members who attended such institutes. 

In 1901, a farmers' short course of tvvo weeks duration was organ- 
ized at the College thru the efforts of Dean C. F. Curtiss. In 1903 
the county farm demonstration work with corn began in Sioux Coun- 
ty. In April, 1904, the first seed corn special train was run. In 
January, 1905, the first local short course of one week duration was 
held at Red Oak, Iowa. All of this work attracted widespread in- 
terest and approval. 

The demands made upon the College faculty by the farmers of the 
state had now become so great that it seemed necessary to make some 
provision to care for it. Accordingly the Thirty-first General As- 
sembly of Iowa passed a bill establishing the Agricultural Extension 
Department of the Iowa State College and appropriated $15,000 to 
cover the annual period from July i, 1906, to July i, 1907. 

Professor P. G. Holden, who had inaugurated the county farm 
demonstration work and conducted the seed corn trains, was selected 
as head of the newly created department and remained in that position 
for six years. The development of agricultural extension work was 



THE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE 15 

rapid from the beginning. It soon became impossible for the depart- 
ment to meet the demands made upon it for short courses, institutes, 
educational trains, demonstration plots and miscellaneous meetings. 
Farmers and business men contributed liberally by taking care of local 
expenses and often paying salaries of assistants. 

The general assembly of Iowa increased the appropriations of the 
Agricultural Extension Department from time to time. In 191 2 
certain funds were made annually available by the United States De- 
partment of Agriculture. In 191 3 the general assembly passed an act 
which provided that county funds under certain conditions could be 
used by organizations of farmers in cooperation with the Iowa State 
College for the advancement of agriculture. In 191 4 Congress passed 
the Smith-Lever act appropriating federal funds to be used by the 
states in agricultural extension work. 

By 1912 the demand for extension work had grown to such propor- 
tions that it was impossible to care for it efficiently thru specialists 
from the College. Accordingly the plan of placing a representative of 
the College permanently in a county was adopted. This plan, how- 
ever, depended primarily upon the action of the farmers themselves. 
It was necessary for them to form an organization and provide funds 
before state and federal funds were forthcoming. Under this plan 
the employed agent became jointly responsible to the farmers' organ- 
ization and to the College. 

Clinton and Scott counties employed agents on September i, 1912. 
Black Hawk and Montgomery counties employed agents the following 
October. The work of organizing county farm bureaus and employ- 
ing agents developed gradually until the entrance of the United States 
into the World War v/hen 26 counties had been organized. At that 
time, due to a large increase of federal war funds, the county organ- 
izations were pushed forward rapidly until on March i, 191 8, every 
county had organized a farm bureau and employed or had arranged to 
employ a county agent. 

During the war with Germany the Agricultural Extension Depart- 
ment was selected by the federal government as the agency thru 
which to stimulate food production in Iowa. The biennial report 
issued by the department for the period extending from July i, 19 16, 
to July I, 191 8, summarizes the work of this period as follows: 

"Farm labor bureaus were established in every county in the state 
and 18,400 men were placed on farms. A Volunteer Food Producers' 
Association was organized with 20,478 members, 6,000 boys were en- 
rolled in the Boys' Working Reserve and 29,648, mostly city boys and 
girls, were enrolled in the junior garden movement. 

"Extension specialists, including boys' and girls' club workers, de- 
livered 17,090 lectures, conducted 8,587 demonstrations and judged 
1,988 exhibits. The number of people reached in the above ways in 
the two years totals 1,324,221. County agents during the same period 
received 157,365 calls at their offices, made 52,683 farm visits, held 
10,640 meetings and reached 514,235 people. Home demonstration 



16 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

agents gave 6,702 lectures, conducted 4,196 demonstrations, judged 
164 exhibits and reached 275,417 people. 

"The most important service of the field agents was to locate local 
leadei-ship and develop the farm bureau organization in order that the 
government war food program might be carried out. This service 
cannot be expressed in figures." 

It is impossible to state just what effect the Agricultural Extension 
Department had in stimulating war food production in Iowa. It 
certainly was an important factor. According to the statistical reports 
of the United States government, Iowa produced more foodstuffs in 
191 7 and 1918 than in any other two years in her history and more 
than any other state. The total average yearly production of corn, 
oats, wheat, barley and rye for 1 91 7 and 1 918 was 661,013,000 
bushels. The total average yearly production of the same grains for 
the 10 year period immediately preceding the war was 522,882,300 
bushels. The average increased yearly production for 191 7 and 191 8 
over the average yearly production for the 10 year period preceding 
the war was 138,130,700 bushels, an increase of about 26 percent. 
The increase in pounds of pork produced was very large and is vari- 
ously estimated at from 15 to 25 percent. There was also a great 
increase in poultry and garden crops. 

At the present time (May, 1920), there are 100 county farm bu- 
reaus (one county has two) with a farmer membership of more than 
100,000. Each county farm bureau elects a president, vice-president, 
secretary and treasurer and a board of directors composed of one rep- 
resentative from each township. In addition there is a cooperator for 
every four square miles of farm land. There are lOO county agents, 
21 home demonstration agents and 15 boys' and girls' club agents 
permanently located in counties. Fifty specialists are employed to 
support the agents in the field. In addition to this, temporary agents 
and temporary specialists are employed, as occasion may demand, to 
carry out important projects. The work conducted in cooperation 
with the local county farm bureaus embraces every department of the 
Agricultural and Home Economics Divisions of the College and cer- 
tain subjects from the Veterinary and Science Divisions. 

Ill 

THE DIVISION OF ENGINEERING 

Engineering instruction of collegiate grade was inaugurated at the 
Iowa Agricultural College on March 17, 1869, in a Department of 
Mechanic Arts. Two years later this department was divided into 
the departments of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, with a pro- 
fessor in charge of each. It was not until 1891 that the Department 
of Electrical Engineering was established; then followed Mining 
Engineering in 1894, Ceramic Engineering in 1906 and Architectural 
Engineering in 191 4. Collegiate work in trades and industry was in- 



THE DIVISION OF ENGINEERING 17 



stituted in 1 91 9. In 1898 the various engineering departments were 
organized as a college division and in 1904 a dean of engineering was 
appointed to administer them. Anson Marston, who was appointed 
the first dean of the Engineering Division and still retains the position 
after 16 years, is a graduate of Cornell Univei-sity in the class of 
1889. He came to Iowa State College as Professor of Civil Engi- 
neering in 1892 after doing graduate work at Cornell for three years. 

In 1904, the general assembly of Iowa established an Engineering 
Experiment Station and in the same year also a Department of Good 
Roads Experimentation, both state supported and the first of their 
kind in the country to be esablished by government authority. The 
Thirty-fifth General Assembly in 1913 created also a Department of 
Engineering Extension to give residence sub-collegiate work in trades 
and industry, to conduct special short courses and institutes in various 
parts of the state and to offer correspondence study of both collegiate 
and sub-collegiate grade. 

Thus the engineering school has grown from one small Department 
of Mechanic Arts with two instructors, a workshop and less than a 
score of students, into the largest engineering school west of the Mis- 
sissippi River, with over one hundred instructors and trained investi- 
gators, eleven engineering buildings of the finest type, and over one 
thousand students of collegiate grade. The Iowa State College was 
the first school in the country to develop its organization so as to in- 
clude the three fundamental coordinate lines of engineering educa- 
tional service: professional education of the highest character; engi- 
neering extension and correspondence study to carry technical infor- 
mation to the people in their home communities; and engineering ex- 
perimentation to develop the practical application of scientific prin- 
ciples for ready use by the people of the state. 

During the seventies and the eighties the engineering enrollment 
was small. About 1889, however, it received a sudden impetus and 
reached the unprecedented number of 179 in 1892-1893, but the finan- 
cial flurry at that time reduced the number of students. It was not 
until about 1898 that it reached 193, thereafter steadily increasing 
until 1 907- 1 908 when the enrollment was 704. And then came the 
panic of 1907. For five years the engineering attendance decreased 
until by 1912-1913 the number was reduced to 495. Rising again, it 
continued until 191 5- 191 6, then halted pending adoption of our war 
policy and in 1917-1918 dropped to 575, practically what it was 12 
years before. And then came the fall of 191 8 and with it the Student 
Army Training Corps. To the Iowa State College there came a 
great influx of freshmen engineering students, over a thousand strong, 
all of them too young to enlist direct, but all confident that training 
in the Student Army Training Corps would lead directly and speedily 
to their participation in the World War. The total enrollment that 
year numbered 1,336, but it was not of course representative of a 
normal situation. With the signing of the armistice and the disband- 
ing of the Student Army Training Corps, a very great number of 



18 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

these men left the College, many of them never to return. The large 
enrollment of engineers for 191 9-1920, estimated unofficially at 1,030, 
is still somewhat abnormally large, being influenced to a considerable 
degree by the great importance of engineering in the war. But the 
curve of progress in engineering student enrollment shows a decided 
tendency upward and this will undoubtedly persist. 

Mechanic Arts was a parallel department with Agriculture in the 
original organization of the College. The first Professor of Mechanic 
Arts was G. W. Jones. In 1871 he was made Professor of Math- 
ematics and W. A. Anthony became Professor of Physics and Me- 
chanics. He left the College in 1872 to take the chair of physics at 
Cornell University and was succeeded by A. Thomson who became 
Professor of Mechanics and Superintendent of the Workshop. 

The first class of engineers to receive diplomas in Iowa graduated 
from Iowa State College in November, 1872. The class numbered 
eight, all of them receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. It was 
not until 1878 that separate degrees were granted to graduates of the 
different departments. At every commencement since 1872, with the 
exception of that of 1880, there have been graduates from the engi- 
neering departments. Of course the numbers were small in the early 
days, reaching 10 in 1884 and 14 in 1 89 1, but those were men of 
sturdy type, many of them having since accomplished distinctive feats 
in engineering. During the first 25 years of its operation the College 
graduated but 141 engineers; while during the next 25 years there 
were over 11 times as many, or 1,581. 

The total number of engineering graduates is now 1,778. Of that 
number nearly 15 percent have graduated in the last three years; 
over 26 percent in the last five years ; practically 45 percent in the last 
eight years; over 67 percent in the last 12 years; over 80 percent in 
the last 15 years; and 92 percent in the last 25 years. Taking into 
account the necessary lag of about four years, the graduating classes 
have shown about the same upward tendency in numbers as has the 
enrollment. About 35 percent of freshmen complete their courses. 

A most important engineering activity is participation in engineer- 
ing society work. This opportunity has been materially increased for 
the engineering students in later years. The all-inclusive society is 
the Ames Engineering Society, the "get-together" organization of the 
engineers. It was organized in 1910 to direct all engineering student 
activities and to publish The Iowa Engineer, the official technical 
organ of the engineering school. Each year there is elected an Engi- 
neering Council from the student body which represents all engineer- 
ing division interests. This council is responsible for the organization 
of student committees on student affairs, including the Campfire in the 
fall. Engineers' Day in the spring and various other functions for 
which the society is famous. 

The agricultural engineers have their own student branch of the 
American Society of Agricultural Engineers; the architectural engi- 
neers are organized into a departmental society called the "Crockets" ; 



THE DIVISION OF ENGINEERING 19 



the chemical engineers are members of the local branch of the Amer- 
ican Chemical Society; the civil engineers have their Civil Engineer- 
ing Society; the electrical engineers have a student branch of the 
American Institute of Electrical Engineers; the mechanical engineers 
have one in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; and the 
mining engineers have one in the American Institute of Mining 
Engineers. In addition there is a college branch of the American 
Association of Engineers. 

A chapter of Tau Beta Pi, a national honorary engineering society, 
was established at lovi^a State College in 1908. 

The Iowa Engineering Experiment Station, created by legislative 
action in 1904 to be under the direction of the Dean of the Division 
of Engineering, came as a result of commendable experimental work 
performed without financial support by college professors. It was the 
first engineering experiment station in the United States to be estab- 
lished under government authority. Only $3,000 per year was appro- 
priated at first, but increases have been granted from time to time 
until the fund is now $25,000 per year. At first part-time student 
assistants were used under the direction of members of the faculty 
who were sufficiently interested to give their time gratis to the work. 
This work has now developed to such an extent that the station force 
has numbered at times over 20 technical men besides laborers. 

The results of station investigations have been published in 60 bul- 
letins for general distribution and much miscellaneous technical infor- 
mation has been sent out in letter form as special reports, where its 
application was so specific as not to warrant publication. The demand 
for service is beyond the funds and the facilities at hand to meet it, so 
that with increasing support the station will continually increase the 
scope of its activities. 

In 1904 the general assembly appropriated $3,500 per year for 
good roads experimentation, at the same time designating the College 
as the State Highway Commission. The State Attorney General 
ruled that this fund should be used for the maintenance and operation 
of the commission. This continued until 191 3 when the Highway 
Commission was reorganized with separate funds for its support. 

During the nine years prior to 19 1 3 the College so developed the 
organization and work of the commission that it was ready to accept 
the larger responsibility which came with its reorganization. The 
Dean of Engineering acted as a director from 1904 to 1913 and by 
law became a commissioner under the new organization. 

Since 1913 the fund appropriated for good roads experimentation, 
now $10,000 per year, has been used for good roads experimental 
work exclusively, in cooperation with and under the direction of the 
State Highway Commission in solving those technical problems pecu- 
liar to Iowa road conditions. 

In 1913 the Engineering Extension Department was organized, for 
the purpose of taking industrial trade information to those who cannot 
come to the College for it. Short courses for plumbers, metermen, 



20 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

firemen, janitors, telephone operators, bakers, painters, dyers and 
cleaners are held at various points thruout the state where specialists 
from this department disseminate the latest and most practical infor- 
mation available. Many short courses are also given at the College 
where their nature requires the use of more extensive laboratory facili- 
ties than can be supplied at outside points. 

This department also handles the courses in trades and industries, 
most of them two years in length, and leading to certificates upon 
completion. This year, in these courses designed particularly for the 
training of artisans, construction foremen and draftsmen, there are 
enrolled 144, of whom 89 are wounded or disabled service men, re- 
ceiving their government training here. 

IV 

THE GRADUATE COLLEGE 

The early history of the Iowa State College was molded by a group 
of men, president, faculty and trustees, who had high ideals of educa- 
tion. President Welch and Dr. Bessey believed that the highest and 
best in education was none too good for the youth of Iowa. They 
recognized that a faculty graced an institution not only by ability to 
teach but also by productive research. It is not surprising, therefore, 
that in 1873, the year following the graduation of the first class, one 
graduate student, C. P. Wellman was enrolled. During the next 
two years four such students were enrolled. Every year since that 
time graduate students have pursued work at the Iowa State College. 

In December, 1876, the Board of Trustees upon recommendation 
of the president granted to the faculty authority to establish "post- 
graduate courses of study and to confer upon those who should pass 
said courses a second degree." The faculty, so the report of the pres- 
ident for 1877 states, "have therefore during the past year arranged 
a carefully considered program of post-graduate studies. All students 
desiring to secure a second degree must pursue a course of study em- 
bracing two or more subjects selected from this program and approved 
by the faculty. At least one year will be required to complete the 
course." 

On November 12, 1877, the first advanced degree was granted by 
the College to J. C. Arthur, a graduate of the class of 1872, who had 
completed his graduate work in botany under Dr. Bessey. Dr. Arthur 
has been almost from that time Professor of Botany at Purdue Uni- 
versity and has achieved an international reputation as an authority 
on plant rusts. Since that date the Department of Botany, under the 
leadership of Drs. Bessey, Halsted and Pammel, has consistently en- 
couraged advanced work. Altogether 39 graduate students have 
secured the degree, Master of Science, and two the degree of Doctor 
of Philosophy, as a result of graduate work in this department. 

The technical branches of the College were early recognized as 
offering graduate opportunities and provision was made for granting 



THE GRADUATE COLLEGE 21 

the degrees Civil Engineer and Mechanical Engineer. The first C. E. 
degree was conferred in 1879 upon Charles F. Mount. This was the 
precursor of the professional degree of today. It is of interest to note 
that this degree was next conferred upon Elwood Mead in 1883 and 
upon Miss Elmina Wilson in 1894. A total of 80 professional (ad- 
vanced) degrees have been granted to date (191 9) in Civil Engineer- 
ing and 60 in all other departments of engineering combined. 

Herbert Osborne in 1880 received the degree of Master of Science 
with major work in zoology. He was soon thereafter put in charge 
of the newly created Department of Zoology and by the time of his 
resignation in 1898 he developed the work in entomology to a mark- 
ed degree. He left to become head of the Department of Zoology 
and Entomology at the State University of Ohio, where he has 
developed one of the strongest departments in that field in the United 
States. 

Special mention should also be made of the conferring of the de- 
gree of Master of Domestic Economy in 1886 upon Miss Nellie 
E. Rawson and upon Mrs. Clara J. Hays. It is probable that this 
was the first recognition in the United States of the field of Home 
Economics as one appropriate for graduate work. 

For many years the graduate work of the College was administered 
by a committee on graduate work; first with Professor Osborne, 
later, Professor H. E. Summers and finally with President Pearson as 
chairman. As the enrollment grew, the difficulties of administration 
increased and plans were made to centralize and coordinate the 
graduate work. The catalog of 1913 states that "the administra- 
tion of all graduate work will be placed in the near future in a 
separate division to be known as the Graduate College. The new 
division will be presided over by a dean." During the next several 
years the work was administered through the office of the president. 
Professor George A. Chaney was made assistant to the president in 
charge of the graduate work. Finally in 191 9 R. E. Buchanan, Dean 
of the Division of Industrial Science, was transferred to the deanship 
of the newly created Graduate College and it is now under his im- 
mediate jurisdiction. 

During the recent war the attendance was cut about 40 percent; 
but it is now greater than at any time in the history of the College. 
The enrollment for 1919 was 153. 

The degree of Master of Science was first conferred in 1877, only 
eight years after the College was founded. Only a few commence- 
ments since 1877 have failed to see the conferring of at least one mas- 
ter's degree. The largest number, 49, was given in 191 7. In all 
288 master's degrees have been conferred. 

The Doctor of Philosophy degree was ' conferred upon only 
five students prior to 1920. Two of these degrees were conferred by 
the Botany Department, two by the Agronomy Department and one 
by the Animal Husbandry Department. Of professional degrees, 146 
have been given, 140 in engineering and 6 in agriculture. 



22 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

V. 

THE DIVISION OF HOME ECONOMICS 

At the opening of the Iowa State College a large number of young 
women enrolled and the practicability of giving them technical train- 
ing in housekeeping suggested itself to the College authorities. Mrs. 
Mary B. Welch, wife of the president of the College, was asked to 
direct this work. Under her guidance the women were given three 
hours a week of practice in domestic science. Mrs.Potter, the ma- 
tron, planned a rotation system of work in the kitchen, dining room 
and laundry whereby each student received instruction. Thus the 
courses at the beginning were laboratory courses, but by 1871 Mrs. 
Welch had begun to supplement them by lectures. 

The work developed rapidly under Mrs. Welch's guidance and in 
1875 a Department of Cookery and Household Art was established. 
The following year the trustees provided for practical instruction in 
cookery by authorizing the establishment of an experimental kitchen 
for class use. This kitchen, located in the basement of the old main 
building, was as far as known, the first of its kind provided in any col- 
lege. At each meeting the cooking of some new dish was carefully 
taught, the class taking notes and assisting the teacher. At the follow- 
ing meeting the students repeated the work unassisted by the teacher, 
each being responsible for the material wasted if her work failed. 

The scope of the department was enlarged in 1877 by the addition 
of several new courses; care of the house, plan of the week's work, 
care of the sick, management of domestic help, training of children, 
sewing and cooking. Two years later a course in laundering was 
added and the girls were required to do their own laundry work. 
The present course in institutional cookery may also be traced back to 
this year, when the cooking classes prepared and served meals for one 
table in the main dining room. 

This College was one of the six institutions that gave courses in 
cookery and sewing at this time and the high standard of its work 
was acknowledged in a bulletin published by the Bureau of Educa- 
tion in Washington and by the New York Tribune, Chicago Inter- 
Ocean, Detroit Free Press, Youth's Companion and the Iowa jour- 
nals. By 1 88 1 the School of Domestic Economy had outgrown its 
quarters and was moved to South Hall. 

In 1883 Mrs. Welch resigned, having given 15 years of conscien- 
tious service to the School of Domestic Economy. She succeeded in 
laying firm foundations at a time when domestic economy was regard- 
ed as a novelty in the college and university curricula of the country 
and hence she was notably a pioneer in the field of the household 
arts. She had, as pioneer laborers in other fields have had, stubborn 
difficulties with which to contend. In the first place she had no 
knowledge by which to guide herself, save that acquired in the keeping 
of her own home ; and second, she had to toil in the face of a solid con- 
servatism and popular prejudice against her work. The masses could 



THE DIVISION OF HOME ECONOMICS 23 

not then appreciate the value of academic instruction in the household 
arts and they had little understanding of their relations to other arts. 

The first difficulty Mrs. Welch overcame by studying at the 
"School of Maids" in London and with Miss Parloa at New York. 
Also she expanded her knowledge and quickened her spirit by 
visiting the schools of cookery in leading cities. The second 
obstacle she attacked and reduced somewhat by the practical char- 
acter of her work at college and by lectures to some of the most 
progressive housewives in the state. She conceived the idea of the 
practical utility of extension work and established a precedent for it 
that has received a wide application throughout the country, when 
she conducted a class of 60 women in Des Moines. 

Mrs. Emma P. Ewing took up the direction of the department in 
1884 and pushed with vigor the work begun by Mrs. Welch. A 
two-year collegiate course in domestic economy was organized and 
opened in South Hall. Nine women were classified in this course. 
During the same year a two-year post-graduate course was established 
with authority to confer the degree of Master of Domestic Economy. 
College and university graduates enrolled for the post-graduate 
work. Mrs. Ewing was greatly handicapped in her enlarged field of 
activity by a paucity of funds. During her four years of incumbency 
the total expenses of her department amounted to only $900. She 
and her assistants, some of whom she employed at her own expense, 
gave their classes eight hours daily of their attention. Their labors 
bore fruit, for soon Boston, Baltimore, St. Paul and other cities were 
seeking teachers from their department and they placed one of their 
post-graduate students in the Toledo Manual Training School. 

In 1887 Mrs. Eliza Owens took charge and during the nine years 
of her direction the school advanced steadily, although the two-year 
post-graduate course had to be abandoned until 1894 because of lack 
of room. In that year Margaret Hall was built and the school 
moved into one wing of it. 

Miss Gertrude Coburn, who was head of the department from 
1898 to 1899, secured the incorporation of a four-year "Ladies 
Course," leading to the degree of Bachelor of Letters. The aim of 
the course was to correlate the other sciences with housekeeping. She 
instituted the present practice of charging laboratory fees, which was 
advised by Mrs. Welch at the outset. A fee of two dollars was 
charged for the first term of cooking, three dollars for each succeed- 
ing term and one dollar for each term of sewing. 

Under the supervision of Miss Mary Sabin the course was divided 
in 1 90 1 into the Departments of Domestic Science and Domestic 
Art and three assistants were employed. Two courses were offered 
in 1904, the "General and Domestic Science"" course and the "Do- 
mestic Science" course. 

From 1905 to 1912 the home economics work progressed steadily 
under the leadership of Miss Georgetta Witter (now Mrs. F. H. 
Waters), Mrs. Alice Dynes Fueling and Miss Virgilia Purmort. By 



24 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

1910 the available space in Margaret Hall and the old Agricultural 
Hall was inadequate for the needs of the department and the present 
Home Economics building was formally opened in the fall of 191 1. 

In 1912 the department became a division with Miss Catherine J. 
MacKay, who had been a professor in the department since 19 10, as 
acting dean. The following year she was appointed dean of the di- 
vision. In 1913 the Omicron Nu, an honorary home economics or- 
ganization, was established as a further incentive to higher scholastic 
efforts. The growth of the division is revealed by the fact that at the 
present time there are 38 instructors and 722 students as against 4 
instructors and 136 students in 191 1. At present there are seven 
departments in Household Art, Household Management, Applied 
Design, Household Science, Teacher Training, Two- Year Non-Col- 
legiate and Phj^sical Training. The Home Economics building is no 
longer adequate, two emergency buildings and two offices and labora- 
tories in Chemistry building having been in use during the past four 
years. In 1916 the Practice Cottage was opened and here the senior 
girls have actual experience in household management. A third tem- 
porary building will be ready for use in the fall of 1 920. 

The originators of agricultural extension work in Iowa conceived 
the very practical idea that extension work should include the entire 
family, and when the department was organized, July, 1 906, Miss 
Mary F. Rausch was appointed to take charge of the home economics 
work in the agricultural extension service. It was a new line of work 
and Miss Rausch very wisely planned to present it in such a way as to 
make it entertaining as well as instructive. Her first programs were 
presented at women's short courses and, while they included as much 
of the fundamentals of homemaking as could be introduced, they 
consisted largely of food demonstrations. These short courses were 
presented through the activities of women's clubs. This, again, was 
starting along the line of least resistance; women's clubs were already 
organized and they presented a logical medium through which to work. 

In August, 1906, Miss Rausch left the department to take charge 
of work in Colorado and Miss Edith Charlton from Rochester, New 
York, succeeded her. It became necessary to employ an assistant 
and Miss Neale S. Knowles, who at that time was in charge of the 
same kind of work in Alabama, was selected. They continued to 
work through short courses, farmers' institutes, county and state fairs. 

In April, 1909, Miss Charlton left the department and Miss 
Knowles assumed the leadership. A little later it became necessary 
to employ three more women. The work was carried on through 
continuous short courses, each one week in duration. The programs 
included food demonstrations, home nursing, house furnishing, care 
of children, drafting and use of patterns and home management. 
This kind of home economics work grew so rapidly that it was neces- 
sary to employ 10 women. 

The home economics extension work became affiliated \vith the 
farm bureau extension service in September, 1916, when Miss Tura 




d ^ 







Ah 
be 



THE DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE 25 

Hawk was appointed home demonstration agent in Black Hawk 
county. In April, 191 7, 23 women were employed to give special 
instruction in food conservation, as a part of the regular war work. 
One hundred home demonstration agents were placed in counties and 
cities for a three-months' experiment. Home demonstration agents 
were retained in 58 counties, during the war. The experiment was 
so successful that sufficient additional appropriations were made to 
establish the work permanently in 25 counties and one city. The 
home economics extension work at the present time is carried on 
through these home demonstration agents, working with definite or- 
ganizations of men and women, in connection with the farm bureaus. 
These home demonstration agents are assisted in their projects by six 
home economics specialists, two of whom are specialists on organiza- 
tion and administration, two on food and two on clothing. 

The work has passed through the first stages in which it was neces- 
sary to present spectacular demonstrations. The people now appreciate 
the signficance of the extension work and are seeking solid informa- 
tion instead of entertainment and excitement. 



VI. 
THE DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE 

The fundamental major sciences administered in the Division of 
Industrial Science are bacteriology and hygiene, botany, chemistry, 
economics, geology, mathematics, military science and tactics and 
zoology. The general subjects not offering undergraduate degrees 
but necessary to promote the "liberal and practical education of the 
industrial classes", are English, history, library, modern language, 
music, physical training, psychology and public speaking. Of the 
eight fundamental sciences noted above, including also physics, all are 
listed in 1870 except bacteriology, which was added in 1888; and of 
the general subjects all arc listed, in most cases under substantially 
the same titles. It is therefore a striking fact that while courses of 
study, subjects offered and names of departments have been in a state 
of more or less constant flux, the fundamental major sciences have 
appeared in every catalog and biennial report from the beginning. 

The name, Division of Industrial Science, is peculiarly appropriate 
when judged from the standpoint of historical development. The 
word "industrial" and other statements having exactly the same mean- 
ing appear in the organic acts and practically all the early documents 
of the College. By the "industrial sciences" are meant the nine funda- 
mental major sciences noted above and their various applications. 
President A. S. Welch in his Inaugural Address, March 17, 1869. 
dedicated "these halls to the progress of industrial sciences", referred 
in 1876 to the "national industrial college now established in nearly 
every state in the union," and in fact, suggested the name Industrial 
College. The term "special industrial sciences," was used in 1876 to 



26 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 



indicate certain group systems whereby juniors and seniors might 
specialize in such subjects as agriculture, botany, chemistry, geology, 
horticulture, physics, veterinary science and zoology. No end of 
references to official documents might be given to show that industrial 
science is the one and only general term which comprehends the work 
of all major departments in the College. 

Prior to 1898 the term "division" does not appear. The instiution 
had been administered in a highly centralized form and on a depart- 
mental basis. In 1898 the term "division" was used by President W. 
M. Beardshear in connection with agriculture, engineering, science 
and philosophy and veterinary medicine; the name "Science and Philos- 
ophy" being changed to "Science as Related to the Industries" in 1900 
and to "Industrial Science" in 1913. It was, however, during the 
administration of President A. B. Storms that the plan of administra- 
tion of deans was adopted. "For greater efficiency", said President 
Storms, "the College should be organized under deans". The Di- 
visions of Agriculture, Engineering, Science as Related to the Indus- 
tries and, later, Veterinary Medicine and Home Economics made their 
appearance in fact, the President being made Dean of the Division 
of Science as Related to the Industries. 

Bearing these facts in mind it is evident that the term Industrial 
Science, which formerly comprehended all the technical work of the 
institution, is now used in a more restricted sense for purposes of 
administration to include the nine fundamental sciences, except physics, 
and those specialized and technical applications of science which can- 
not be placed in any of the other divisions without a needless and 
very expensive duplication of educational effort. "For greater effi- 
ciency", four strong divisions in recent years have emerged from the 
parent trunk, "Industrial Science", certain clearly marked spheres 
of technical applied science being delegated from time to time to 
each division by authority of the board. Those numerous and im- 
portant applications of science not so delegated remain in the Division 
of Industrial Science. 

Hygiene and physiology were in the course of 1 870. The course 
in bacteriology, first taught at Iowa State College in 1888, was the 
first regular course of its kind given in any institution in the United 
States, including medical schools. In 1908, bacteriology became a 
separate department with Dr. R. E. Buchanan in charge. The work 
has grown rapidly, particularly as related to soils, dairying, veterinary 
medicine and immunity and serum therapy. 

Botany has always been one of the strong and essential departments 
of the institution. First in the country to use the compound micro- 
scope in the study of plants, to conduct I'egular laboratory instruc- 
tion, to recognize the importance of economic botany and, finally, to 
teach bacteriology, the department of botany has an enviable record 
from the standpoint of instruction, research and public service. Dr. 
C. E. Bessey, for a long time in charge, was recognized as an emi- 
nent scientist and served as President of the American Association for 



THE DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE 27 

the Advancement of Science. Dr. L. H. Pammel, now chairman of 
the state board of conservation, and his assistants have turned out a 
large and varied amount of productive scholarship. The alumni of 
the department include secretaries of the national botanical organi- 
zations, two vice-presidents of Section G of the American Association 
for the Advancement of Science, three presidents of the botanical 
Society of America, one vice-president and one president of the Ameri- 
can Phytopathological Society. 

Chemistry was under the direction of A. E. Foote, 1868- 1874, E* R- 
Hutchins, 1874-1876; Thomas E, Pope, 1876-1885; L. W. Andrews, 
1885-1886; A. A. Bennett, 1886-1913. In 1914, one of the three 
largest and best equipped buildings in the country, devoted exclusively 
to chemistry, was completed. More than 2,300 students are now en- 
rolled in this department. New lines of work arc being built up, both 
elementary and advanced, with stress on graduate and research work. 

Economic science was under the supervision of President A. S. 
Welch, 1870-1877; Dr. E. W. Stanton, 1877-1902; Dr. B. H. Hib- 
bard, 1902-1912. In recent years the policy has been to stress the 
applications of economic science as indicated by the following groups : 
agricultural economics, business engineering, rural sociology and, fin- 
ally, the economics of consumption to meet the special needs of stu- 
dents in home economics. 

During the entire history of the College, documentary sources show 
that a reasonable amount of work in English composition and in 
literature has been regarded as a necessity. 

Geology and mineralogy appear in the first course of study in 1870. 
Work in this field has been given in connection with physics, chemistry 
biology and zoology, a separate department being established in 1898 
with Dr. S. W. Beyer in charge. At the same time mining engineer- 
ing and in 1904 ceramic engineering were added. In 19 19 geology 
was transferred to the Division of Industrial Science. At the present 
time this subject is required in architectural, ceramic, chemical, civil 
engineering courses and also in farm crops, soils and forestry. 

History was under the direction of W. H. Wynn, 1871-1887, 
1 894- 1 900; A. C. Burrows, 1888- 1894; Dr. O. H. Cessna, 1900- 
1920. In recent years the tendency has been to stress the special 
applications of history with emphasis on the economic history of 
agriculture. 

President A. S. Welch was Professor of Psychology, 1869-1887; 
President W. I. Chamberlain, 1887-1890; President W. M. Beard- 
shear, 1890-1900; and Dr. O. H. Cessna, 1900-1920. The work in 
psychology is not only designed for those who enter the teaching pro- 
fession, but specialized courses for the development of business effi- 
ciency are given to technical students. 

The necessity of a library was officially recognized a decade before 
the opening of the College in 1868, and was given a support of $2,500 
in 1869, resulting in a collection of 2,400 volumes in 1870. 

The Department of Mathematics was in charge of G. W. Jones, 



28 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

1869-1874; A. H. Porter, 1874-1877; and Dr. E. W. Stanton, 1877- 
1920. Professor Jones taught algebra, geometry, trigonometry, ana- 
lytic geometry, differential and integral calculus, drawing and me- 
chanics and some additional engineering work. Professor Stanton 
carried all the work, including political economy, until 1894 when a 
second instructor was added, the number increasing to 14 full 
time and two half-time teachers at the present time. 

The Department of Military Science and Tactics has always had 
at its head able soldiers who have distinguished themselves on the 
battlefield; General J. L. Geddes, 1869- 1882; Colonel John Scott, 
1 882- 1 884; General J. R. Lincoln, 1 884-1919. This institution, in 
common with all land grant colleges, has devoted much attention 
to military training. The department may well be proud of the part 
it had in the military record of the College during the World War 
— 2,265 blue and 52 gold stars in its service flag, 2 brigadier generals, 
3 colonels, 9 lieutenant colonels, 31 majors, 98 captains, 536 lieu- 
tenants. 

The modern language department has been under the direction of 
12 persons. A reading knowledge of French and German has always 
been regarded as desirable for the definite reason that a vast store- 
house of valuable scientific literature is printed only in these langu- 
ages. In recent years, Spanish has become necessary to many technical 
students because of our close relations with Latin America. 

While music has been appreciated and provided for since the open- 
ing of the College it has not been recognized as an integral part of 
regular college work, altho it is recognized that music for the many is 
quite as desirable as athletics for the many. 

Physical training was supplied during the early years of the Col- 
lege in the form of actual labor in the fields and shops, this being the 
idea which prevailed of "Science with Practice". In fact, prior to 
1890 organized athletics were unknown and for the first 20 years 
received no financial assistance and very little encouragement from 
the College. The department moved from the basem.ent of Morrill 
Hall to a temporary training shed near the water tower, later to the 
third floor of the Engineering Annex and, finally, indoor sport was 
made practicable by the completion of the present fine gymnasium in 
191 3 and the reorganization of the work on the present thoroly effi- 
cient basis. 

The name "Cyclones" originated in 1895 when Ames defeated 
Northwestern 36 to o and a Chicago paper printed the headline, 
"Cyclone Strikes Northwestern University." At the present time 
Iowa State College is a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic 
Association in charge of field and track sports, the Iowa Intercollegi- 
ate Tennis Association and the Missouri Valley Conference. 

Public speaking was given in connection with English, or by the 
preceptress, librarian, or teacher of music, during the early years. It 
was made a separate department in 1896 with Professor A. M. New- 
ens in charge. 







O 3 







THE DIVISION OF VETERINARY MEDICINE 29 



Zoology, including entomology and human psychology, was given in 
1870, embryology and evolution of animals during the eighties and 
apiculture was established as a regular course of study in 191 6. The 
history of this department may appropriately be divided into four 
periods: first, 1870-1884 when Dr. C. E. Bessey, one of America's 
great scientific men and inspiring teachers, was in charge; second, 
1 885- 1 898, when Dr. Osborn made the department one of the strong- 
est centers of entomological research and scientific activity in the 
United States, turning out no less than ten productive scholars who 
achieved a national reputation for their research work; third, 1898- 
1916, when Professor H. E. Summers directed the work in a most 
creditable manner, the development keeping pace with the rapid 
growth of the institution; and fourth, 1916-1920, during which period 
the work has been marked by a revival of entomology research. 



VII 
THE DIVISION OF VETERINARY MEDICINE 

The first reference to veterinary work in connection with the Iowa 
State College is found in the state law establishing the Agricultural 
College and Farm. This law was passed by the legislature in 1853. 
An outline of "The course of instruction in said college" includes 
"Animal and Vegetable Anatomy" and "Veterinary Art". In the 
report of 1866 emphasizing the application of scientific principles the 
following is found: 

"It is only necessary to instance the general ignorance which pre- 
vails in the veterinary art — the treatment of diseases of animals — a 
knowledge of which weuld save thousands of dollars annually to the 
state." 

The committee on organization of the College and selection of the 
faculty recommended on January 15, 1868, that among the studies to 
be included in the course should be "Animal and Veterinary Anato- 
my and Physiology" and "Veterinary Art." 

The first class to graduate from this institution received instruction 
from a veterinarian. Dr. H. J. Detmers, in 1872. Dr. Miliken 
Stalker received an inspiration from Dr. Detmers and entered the 
study of veterinary medicine under Dr. Liautard of New York City 
and Dr. Smith at the Toronto Veterinary College, from which insti- 
tution Dr. Stalker received his degree. Considerable veterinary 
work was included in the agricultural course and in 1877 the records 
show that a Department of Veterinary Science was recognized. On 
May 23, 1879, authority was granted for the addition of one year of 
veterinary work to that already offered and thfe granting of degrees 
and diplomas to those who completed such course. Thus the official 
establishment of a veterinary school was accomplished May 23, 1879. 
On November 12, 1879, $4,000 was appropriated for the building of 
a veterinary hospital. The first class to graduate from a state institu- 



30 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 



tion in America graduated from the Iowa State College in 1880 
During the first 10 years 43 men were graduated as veterinarians. 
During the next 10 years (1890 to 1900) 58 veterinarians were 
graduated. During the last decade (1910-1920) 214 veterinarians 
were graduated, making a total of 401 graduates. 

During the year 1884 and 1885 a brick building was provided for 
clinics and dissection which remained in use until 1 91 2. Dr. Stalker, 
who was head of the Veterinary School from its beginning until 1900, 
was also state veterinarian. Dr. Fairchild was assistant in giving 
work along veterinary lines (1886) and later Dr. W. B. Niles was 
added to the faculty (1890). In 1900 the faculty was increased to 
four graduate veterinarians and an appropriation of $100,000 for 
buildings was urged. During 1903 the course was extended from 
three to four years and the class entering in the fall of 1903 was the 
first class to enter a veterinary college in the United States with a 
view to taking a four year course in this line of work. In 1908 
Dean J. H. McNeil, who took Dr. Stalker's place upon his resigna- 
tion, resigned. In 1909 something over $200,000 was appropriated 
for buildings in order to place the Veterinary Division on a basis 
where it could adequately meet the demands made upon it by ihe 
students and the livestock industry of the state. During the biennial 
period of i9ioto 1912 the new buildings were completed, new equip- 
ment installed and the number of veterinarians on the faculty doubled. 

The entrance requirements were also placed on the same plane of 
those of other divisions of the institution (15 units high school). 
During the biennial period of 1913 to 1914 a veterinary research 
department was established with an annual budget of $10,000. 

At the same time the State Biological Laboratory was established 
in connection with the division and there was a 50 percent increase 
in the veterinarians on the faculty, in addition to four extension 
veterinarians. If laboratory assistants and technicians are considered 
the working force of the division was multiplied five times in the 
preceding five years. 



VIII 

THE NON-COLLEGIATE DEPARTMENT 

When the Iowa State College was founded the opportunities for a 
preparatory or high school education were so limited that only a few 
students were prepared to do college work, hence the College was 
forced to give more or less preliminary training until high school 
facilities of the state were more fully developed. Those taking the 
preparatory work were designated as partial freshmen, preparatory 
students, academic students or sub-freshmen. As secondary educa- 
tional facilities advanced the college discouraged enrollment in the 
preparatory department. This policy received concrete expression as 



THE NON-COLLEGIATE DEPARTMENT 31 

early as 1880, as is illustrated by the following passage taken from the 
catalog of that year: 

"Should there be room in the dormitories after the students in 
regular classes are provided for, a limited number of students may be 
received for instruction in studies preparatory to the freshmen class. 
It is, however, the wish of the faculty and trustees that the number 
taking the sub-freshmen course be as small as possible." 

The policy was soon revealed also by the reduction of the enroll- 
ment in the preparatory department. The number of preparatory 
students in the period of 1870 to 1893 was reduced from 82 to 40 and 
in 1 9 10 the preparatory department was abolished. 

Meanwhile the lack of preparatory school facilities and the great 
industrial expansion of the country produced a demand for special 
courses of short duration along technical lines. To this demand a 
response was made in 1892 by the establishment of a winter course 
and a two year course in agriculture. The reason set forth for these 
courses was that a "state institution should offer every possible en- 
couragement to those who desire to fit themselves to do their chosen 
work in the best manner." The scope of the non-collegiate work 
was enlarged in 1899 by the addition of a one-year course in dairying, 
a two-year course and a review course of 16 weeks for mine operators 
and employees, a two-year course in clay working in ceramics and by 
a one-year course in poultry husbandry in 1 908. 

In 1910 conspicuous changes were made in the non-collegiate work. 
The preparatory work and all of the special courses, except the one- 
year course in dairying, were abolished. But the demand for special 
vocational instruction for mature boys and girls, who had not been 
able to complete the high school work, led to the installation of other 
non-collegiate short courses. A two-year course in agriculture, which 
was declared to be "not preparatory," was offered in the fall of 1910. 
The spontaneous response to this special agricultural course suggest- 
ed the need of similar courses in other fields. Hence in 191 3 two- 
year courses in home economics and in trade school work along elec- 
trical, mechanical and civil engineering lines were offered. These 
courses, to which have been added a two-year course for herdsmen, 
a one-quarter course for automobile mechanics and a one-quarter 
course for draftsmen, are still given. The following excerpt from the 
Biennial Report of the Board of Education for 1910, which discloses 
the reasons for offering within certain limitations the two-year course 
in agriculture, explains also the purpose for offering with similar 
limitations other non-collegiate short courses since then : 

"Yielding for the time to what seemed to be not only a popular 
demand but a public need, the board has sanctioned the installation 
at this institution of a two-year's course in agritulture, which students 
who have completed the studies usually designated as the "common 
branches" may enter, but from which any student who is prepared to 
enter the regular college course in agriculture shall be excluded. It 
should make no draft either on the income or energy that sustains 



32 THE IOWA STATE COLLEGE 

and upholds the collegiate courses and, when this work can be done to 
advantage elsewhere, it should be discontinued." 

The policy of the College has constantly been to leave the prepara- 
tory work entirely to the high schools as they developed the capacity 
to take care of it. The installation and elimination of non-collegiate 
courses have been a barometer of the needs and general trend of edu- 
cation in the state. 

The non-collegiate courses in trades, industry and agriculture are 
meeting the needs of a great mass of young men who do not possess 
the complete college entrance requirements. The experience and 
tragedies of the war have increased the demands for short courses 
of instruction in technical lines. The emphasis of the war upon tech- 
nical efficiency convinced young men of the indispensability of college 
training in the great period of industrial expansion and competition 
which the armistice ushered in; and the mutilated, supported by a 
generous nation, are coming to the technical colleges to equip them- 
selves speedily by short courses for the change of vocation that has 
been forced upon them. In the session of 191 9- 1920 there were 583 
students enrolled in the non-collegiate courses, 240 of whom were 
Federal Board students. 



UBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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